In an optically active cyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester compound represented by the formula (4):
(wherein R5 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, R6 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms, an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms or an aralkyl group having 7 to 20 carbon atoms, and * represents an asymmetric center),a cis form in which a group represented by —CO2R5 and a group represented by R6COOCH2— are on the same side relative to a cyclopropane ring plane, and a trans form in which those groups are on opposite sides are present, and these forms are useful as an intermediate for synthesizing medicaments and agrochemicals such as pyrethroid compounds.
JP-A No. 2004-51499 discloses a process for producing such an optically active cyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester compound by reacting a diazoacetic acid ester represented by the formula (2):N2CHCO2R5  (2)(wherein R5 represents the same meaning as defined above) with a compound represented by the formula (3):
[wherein R6 represents the same meaning as defined above] in the presence of an asymmetric copper complex obtained by reacting a copper compound and an optically active salicylideneaminoalcohol compound.